1. Field
The technology of the present application relates generally to dictation systems, and more particular, to a distributed dictation system that is adapted to return in real-time or near real-time a transcription of the dictation.
2. Background
Originally, dictation was an exercise where one person spoke while another person transcribed what was spoken. With modern technology, dictation has advanced to the stage where voice recognition and speech-to-text technologies allow computers and processors to serve as the transcriber.
Current technology has resulted in essentially two styles of computer based dictation and transcription. One style involves loading software on a machine to receive and transcribe the dictation, which is generally known as client side dictation. The machine transcribes the dictation in real-time or near real-time. The other style involves saving the dictation audio file and sending the dictation audio file to a centralized server, which is generally known as server side batch dictation. The centralized server transcribes the audio file and returns the transcription. Often the transcription is accomplished after hours, or the like, when the server has less processing demands.
As can be appreciated, the present computer based dictation and transcription systems have drawbacks. One drawback of the client side dictation is that the dictation and transcription is limited to a single or particular machine, sometimes referred to as a thick or heavy client as most of the processing is accomplished at the local user's machine. Thus, unless the user has the particular machine available, the user cannot accomplish dictation. One drawback of server side batch dictation is that the transcript is not provided in real or near real-time. So, while the server side batch dictation systems may use thin clients, the transcription is not provided in real-time or near real-time.
Moreover, the return time for transcriptions are related to the processing power of the machine accomplishing the transcription. Thus, thick or heavy client machines may have long delays between speech and the transcription being returned. Often thick or heavy client machines in the end rely on server side batch dictation as they lack sufficient processing power. In either case, the return is delayed, sometimes significantly.
Published United States Patent Application Publication Number 2006/005259 filed by Bahl et al. (hereinafter Bahl), provides a thin client distributed dictation/transcription system. The disclosure of Bahl is incorporated herein by reference as if set out in full. In particular, Bahl discloses using a wireless device, such as a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, or other electronic device to transmit audio to a networked service manager. The service manager includes a resource management component and a profile management component. The resource management component, on receipt of the audio, selects one of a plurality of transcription servers networked to the service manager. Once a transcription server is selected and the transcription server accepts the task, the service manager identifies a user or a default voice profile that is uploaded over a network to the transcription server. The transcription server is selected by the resource management component of the service manger using factors such as processor availability, network bandwidth, proximity, and the like, where such factors are consistent with typical load balancing devices. Once selected, the audio is sent to the transcription server, which converts the audio to text. Bahl does not return the transcription to the client and does not indicate what, if anything is done with the text or transcription file.
Thus, against this background, it is desirable to develop an improved distributed, real or near real-time dictation and transcription system.